TOURISM DIRECTOR WITHDRAWS HER RESIGNATION

Broward Tourism Director June Switken, who submitted her resignation last week over a plan that would channel tourism funds to the arts, withdrew it late Thursday following a meeting with County Administrator Floyd Johnson.

Switken, who left Johnson's office after the half-hour meeting, refused to comment.

Johnson, however, confirmed that Switken had withdrawn her resignation and would return Monday to her post as executive director of the Tourist Development Council.

"I'm just willing to move forward from this point," Johnson said.

George Harris, the tourism council member who owns Harris Imperial House in Pompano Beach, said he was glad Switken was returning.

"She's got our backing," Harris said. "She's very capable."

Johnson, meanwhile, said he received numerous telephone calls and letters lauding Switken's performance.

Switken had stormed out of a County Commission meeting last week after Gerald Thompson, chairman of the commission and the tourism council, proposed an ordinance requiring that 8 percent of hotel bed taxes go to the Broward Arts Council. Thompson could not be reached for comment Thursday night.

Switken wrote a brief letter of resignation to Johnson, who met with her the following day and convinced her to take a week's vacation to reconsider the resignation.

Thompson said his ordinance, which has not yet come before the County Commission, simply formalizes what is already being practiced. In addition, Thompson would give the Broward Arts Council the portion of the county's half- cent sales tax collected on admissions, a move that would double arts funding if approved.

Using tourism funds for the arts has been a divisive issue. Tourism backers have generally held that such funds should be used for events that directly benefit their industry.

Arts supporters, on the other hand, think that using the money to sponsor cultural events makes the area more attractive to tourists.

Johnson said that Switken had made the mistake of falling into an "advocacy role" regarding tourism and added, "There comes a point where professionally we have to say that's a policy decision."

In an interview immediately after she submitted her resignation, Switken had cited comments by Fort Lauderdale Mayor Robert Dressler that were critical of the city's Strip area as another reason for resigning.